Crystal Palace will finish their pre-season preparations with a home encounter against Montpellier HSC at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
The Eagles have won four of their eight warm-up matches this summer, while the visitors are still searching for their first victory.
Match preview
© Reuters
Crystal Palace head coach Patrick Vieira will be pleased to finally be working with his entire first-team squad after experiencing a disjointed pre-season so far this summer.
Vieira had only 10 senior players with him on the club's pre-season tour of Australia, while the remaining first-team stars have been preparing for the new campaign with assistant coach Osian Roberts in England.
Palace's final game Down Under saw them play out a 1-1 draw with fellow Premier League side Leeds United last Friday, with a strike from Jean-Philippe Mateta cancelling out Rodrigo's opener from the penalty spot.
Meanwhile, Roberts watched his side secure a comfortable 3-0 victory away at Queens Park Rangers the following day, with Wilfried Zaha starring for the Eagles with two goals, while Eberechi Eze was also on the scoresheet.
The Eagles now have one final opportunity to impress Vieira when they face Montpellier on home soil, before welcoming London rivals Arsenal to Selhurst Park for the Premier League's opening fixture of the 2022-23 season on August 5.
© Reuters
After finishing 13th in Ligue 1 last term, Montpellier have endured a disappointing pre-season so far this summer, losing all four of their warm-up matches and conceding a total of 10 goals in the process.
La Paillade failed to score in their first three defeats against Rodez, Espanyol and Clermont, but they managed to find their form in front of goal against newly-promoted Toulouse, albeit losing 5-4 in a match of three 45-minute halves last weekend.
Olivier Dall'Oglio's side were trailing 3-0 after the first half-an-hour before three strikes in 10 minutes from Elye Wahi, Wahbi Khazri and Arnaud Nordin – the latter two arriving from Saint-Etienne this summer – restored parity for the hosts.
Stephy Mavididi got his name on the scoresheet in the second 45, but his strike came either side of two Toulouse goals, with Montpellier eventually condemned to defeat in an entertaining contest.
Montpellier, who won the 2011-12 Ligue 1 title, will now prepare for one final warm-up game against Crystal Palace before beginning the new French top-flight season with a home clash against Troyes on August 7.
- L
- W
- L
- W
- D
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
Team News
© Reuters
With Crystal Palace boss Vieira now able to integrate his whole squad together for one final friendly before the new season begins, a strong side is expected to be named on Saturday, albeit with rotation throughout the match.
Zaha, who has scored four goals in his last two warm-up matches, could be joined in attack by Mateta and Jordan Ayew, while Odsonne Edouard, Christian Benteke and Luke Plange will also be hoping to get minutes under their belts.
Marc Guehi is expected to retain his place at centre-back, starting in the back four alongside Nathanial Clyne, Joachim Andersen and Tyrick Mitchell, who all began the last match Down Under.
Vieira will be unable to call upon summer recruit Sam Johnstone who picked up a thigh muscle injury after joining from West Bromwich Albion, but the goalkeeper is hoping to return to training before their season opener next week. Vicente Guaita is therefore set to start between the sticks this weekend.
As for Montpellier, former Crystal Palace defender Mamadou Sakho is suffering with a hamstring injury and the centre-back is unlikely to be risked ahead of the new campaign.
Captain and key playmaker Teji Savanier missed the last match due to a thigh problem, but he should be fit in time to face the Eagles, although an appearance off the bench is more likely than a start.
Eighteen-year-old Elye Wahi, who was the club's top scorer last term with 10 Ligue 1 strikes, could be handed a start in attack alongside experienced forward Valere Germain.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Milivojevic, Eze; Ayew, Mateta, Zaha
Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:
Omlin; Sacko, Esteve, Cozza, Maouassa; Chortard, Ferri; Nordin, Khazri; Germain, Wahi
We say: Crystal Palace 3-1 Montpellier HSC
Montpellier will be desperate to turn their fortunes around before the new season begins, but they may struggle to keep out a Crystal Palace side who have scored at least twice in five of their eight friendly fixtures this summer.
With the hosts expected to name a strong side, we can see Vieira's men coming away with a victory and ending their pre-season preparations on a high.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
